Man sentenced to 15 years in beating death of friend

Christopher Fuller was sentenced this morning to 15 years in prison for his role in the July beating death of his friend, Chad Chmura. He pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in October.

ROCCO LaDUCA

UTICA - Christopher Fuller was sentenced this morning to 15 years in prison for his role in the July beating death of his friend, Chad Chmura.

He pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in October.

In that court appearance, Fuller, 22, described step-by-step the July 27 confrontation at his Highland Court apartment in West Utica that ended with 37-year-old Chmura's death.

Fuller and his friend Soloman Freeman, 19, were at the Hope House for dinner when they met Chmura, of Thomas Street, Utica, Fuller said. All three decided to go to Fuller's apartment to drink beer, he said.

As they were listening to the radio, Chmura started to say things that offended Fuller, he said.

"He was making sexual comments," Fuller said. "I was molested when I was 10 years old, and I did not feel that it was right."

Fuller said he then asked his roommate, Freeman, to "escort" Chmura from their apartment. But Chmura kept making the comments, so Freeman stood up and punched Chmura twice.

Chmura turned to Freeman and said, "That's all you got?" Fuller recalled.

Freeman began choking Chmura to the ground, where Freeman started to stomp on him, Fuller said. At that point, Fuller admitted he choked Chmura two times.

But, Fuller added, "It was not to cause his death or anything." Fuller explained that although he was angry at Chmura, he would never want to kill anyone.

When Chmura crawled out into the hallway, Freeman took several beer bottles and hit Chmura over the head, Fuller said. Freeman also struck Chmura several times with a broom he found near the dumpster.

By the time paramedics and police arrived, Freeman had dragged Chmura's body outside, Fuller said. Chmura died from his injuries the next day.

Fuller and Freeman initially were charged with second-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years-to-life in prison.

Freeman's murder charge is still pending, but he has been deemed mentally unfit to stand trial and is being housed in a psychiatric facility for treatment.